FieldlabBlockchain in​Education and Science.

How can you improve education (for students and institutions) using Blockchain technology? What new possibilities does this technology offer? These questions underlie the establishment of the Fieldlab Blockchain in Education. The initiators of the Field Lab (experts in the field of education, finance and IT) decided to combine their knowledge in a unique partnership in mid-2017: ‘Fieldlab Blockchain in Education and Science’

Fieldlab Blockchain in Education and Science

The Fieldlab Blockchain in Education was established in mid-2017. Their focus is on applying Blockchain technology in the educational domainThe plans for this Field Lab were recently unveiled during the Blockchain in Education congress in the Academiegebouw of the University of Groningen. The initiators of the lab are the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / Education Executive Agency (DUO), TNO, Quintor, Groningen Declaration Network (GDN), University of Groningen, ePortfolio Support Foundation (StePS) and Rabobank.

“In the blockchain lab, the necessary regional, national and international experts and expertise will be brought together, in consultation with (among others) the University of Groningen, the Education Executive Agency, the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Education, Culture and Science and the Dutch Blockchain Coalition.” say the initiators. “The expectation is that these activities will generate new high-quality jobs and activities in Groningen in the future.”

Organization FieldlabHennie Bulstra (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / DUO)​Teunis Dokter (University of Groningen​)Mark Gerdes (Rabobank)Herman de Leeuw (Groningen Declaration Network - GDN)Theo Mensen (ePortfolio Support Foundation - StePS)Marco Scherer (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / DUO)Johann Schreurs (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science / DUO)Johan Tillema (Quintor)Pieter Verhagen (TNO​)Haije Wind (University of Groningen)​PartnersDiscussions are currently taking place with various partners to participate in the FieldLab Blockchain in Education. These explorations are well underway, together with the Hanzehogeschool, UMCG, Triade, ICTU and SURF, and others.

BCINED2017 Conference videos

For more information, see www.BCINED2017.nl

News

BCINED 2017 Conference

With over 250 participants and Blockchain experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, England, Australia and the United States, the conference 'Blockchain in Education' (BCINED2017) was held at the University of Groningen on Tuesday the 5th of September, 2017. At this conference the initiative of a first 'Fieldlab Blockchain in Education' was launched by a cooperative association of organizations from the north of the Netherlands; an ICT laboratory for inventing, creating and trying out blockchain applications in (higher) education. More information? http://www.bcined2017.nl

StudyBits receives blockchain price

The StudyBits project is named one of the five winners of the blockchain competition, organized by the province of Groningen and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The winners all came up with different ideas to help solve specific issues concerning care, energy or government services with blockchain technology. The competition 'Small Business Innovation Research' (SBIR) can be named a success, with a total 38 registrations. Together, the five winners received 250,000 euros to further develop their idea.

April 19th the BCinED consortium presented the StudyBits project on the GDN annual meeting in Paris. This event we also presented a live demo, showing a 4 node Sovrin StudyBits blockchain and the Erasmus+ student exchange process.

BCINED Fieldlab Services

In the BCINED Fieldlab the knowledge of both the educational domain and the blockchain domain is bundled. Education and Technology combined. They are essential ingredients for the services described below.

Feasibility study

What is the feasibility of your project? The Fieldlab blockchain analysts and architects support your organization in researching the market, the business case and the technology. They deliver a feasibility study in a few weeks, together with an advice for a possible next step; a Proof Of Concept.

Proof Of Concept

Is the idea viable? Then a Proof Of Concept is developed. A prototype or demo in which the concept is demonstrated, both in terms of functionality and technology. After this phase, it can be decided to actually realize the project and the Field Lab can, if desired, draw up a project plan.

Advice and training

How can you develop knowledge in the field of blockchain within your organization? Do you need advice on a blockchain strategy? These are services that BCINED wants and can deliver. Independent and with a lot of practical experience. For example, one can think about a blockchain awareness training or advice on self-sovereign identity.

The power of the BCINED Fieldlab? Our partners.

THE BCINED PROJECTS

Project StudyBits

Our first goal is to enable 20 students from the University of Groningen who study abroad to demonstrate through StudyBits that they have the right credentials. The result? A foreign university can carry out the verification of the credentials using StudyBits.

The first project to be researched in the Field Lab is ‘StudyBits’. The aim of this project is to make it possible for everyone, including internationally, to:

irrefutable register his (partial) diplomas, certificates and other (educational) information from national registers, using Blockchain technology;

BCINED2017 conferenceThe # BCINED2017 conference was first used to investigate the feasibility of StudyBits. And then to determine whether the publication, exchange, and use of credits and diplomas with Blockchain can indeed be made much simpler, more efficient, safer, and more reliable.

First goals of the StudyBits projectAs a first trial, credits and diplomas from 20 students from the University of Groningen are put on a blockchain. When these students want to study abroad, they need to prove to a foreign university that they have the right credentials. Having this information on a blockchain enables the student to decide for himself/herself with whom he/she wants to share their degree data, anywhere in the world. If this succeeds, this project is the beginning of a promising innovation in the field of education, which can be used worldwide.

Groningen Declaration Network. April 18 - 20, 2018. Paris-Sorbonne UniversityAt an education conference in Paris, a first presentation will be given to the education sector.

StatusThe Information Analysis for the first part has now been completed, and a lot of hard work is currently being done to draw up the technical architecture for StudyBits phase 1.

Price province of Groningen and feasibility studyThe StudyBits project was one of the five winners of the blockchain competition, organized by the province of Groningen and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The winners all came up with different ideas to help solve specific issues concerning care, energy or government services with blockchain technology. The competition 'Small Business Innovation Research' (SBIR) can be named a success, with a total 38 registrations. Together, the five winners received 250,000 euros to further develop their idea.